British parents consistently cite traffic speed as the main reason why their children are not allowed to cycle or walk to school.

Lowering urban and residential speed limits to 20 mph has been found to increase a urban journeys by just 40 seconds maximum.

Lowering urban and residential speed limits to 20 mph has been found to decrease child pedestrian accidents by up to 70%(Transport Research Laboratory). In Portsmouth the 20mph limit on all residential roads has reduced casualties by 22%.

Well the local MPs canvassed us about changing our area to a 20mph limit.

We suggested that first they might want to enforce the 30mph limit a bit more effectively first. I reckon well over half of the motorists are doing more than 30, and a good proportion are nearer 50. (typical victorian sidestreet, parking both sides, not enough room for 2 cars to pass side by side).

the car is king look at folk signing petitions to lower fuel prices you just cannot mess with drivers in a democracy as every one owns one- so many lost votes- and they view any other road user as an impediment to their progress. Dont slow them down etc
It is clearly a good idea- would make parts of my commute slower though

It's also 50 in Canada, molgrips, but I would argue that German drivers (at least in many parts of the country) are not trying to navigate the same types of roads that we have to here in Britain, and that even when they are, they are far, far more pedestrian-and-other-road-users-conscious than British drivers.

ourkidsam - Member
Britain has the highest percentage of pedestrian road fatalities in Europe 22.5% of....?

I'm guessing they mean that 22.5% of road traffic accidents involving a pedestrian result in a fatality (though intuitively this seems high to me?). i.e. our accidents are more likely to be lethal than European accidents - presumably because of the greater speed involved.

you mean this year (so far) less people have died than....? which countries, when?
It seems DfT don't have 2010 figures up yet but in 2009 2,222 people died on the roads (and crossings, and pavements and grass verges) 12% less than 2008 but I'm sure you'd agree still 2,222 too many.

Just worked out my normal 'urban' journey and it actually adds 2m55s so they're wrong there too

yes but your normal journey @20mph max won't be exactly 10mph slower than it is now will it? You are only travelling at 30 for a small portion of the time, junctions lights crossings etc stop start. The above is saying normally you won't really notice the difference. (tho your perception tells you you're going a lot slower but perception is rubbish)

More than half of road deaths and serious injuries occur on roads with 30 mph limits

This statistic is meaningless on its own. We're not told, for example, what percentage of roads are 30mph roads, or what the volume of traffic is like on those roads. If the 30mph roads make up 1% of the total, that's a very different situation to one where 30mph roads make up 99% of total roads.

You can't simply say "half of the accidents occur on a 30mph road" and automatically assume that half of the accidents occur because it's a 30mph road.

Standing on this statement alone, it's equally valid to suggest raising the limits to 40 would solve the problem.

Britain has the highest percentage of pedestrian road fatalities in Europe

Again, meaningless statement. Percentage of what? Total population? Total road users? And it tells us nothing about cause; do we have an allegedly high rate because we're worse drivers, or because there's more people driving?

Britain has one of the lowest levels of children walking or cycling to school in Europe.

Yeah, they're all in mummy's chelsea tractor.

Speed limits on Britain’s urban roads are 60% higher than Europe

We also drive on the left. And? Does this correlate with anything? We're not told.

British parents consistently cite traffic speed as the main reason why their children are not allowed to cycle or walk to school.

I thought British parents consistently cited fear of nonces as the main reason why their children are not allowed to cycle or walk to school. Where's this study come from? Oh, wait, we're not told. There's a theme here.

Lowering urban and residential speed limits to 20 mph has been found to increase a urban journeys by just 40 seconds maximum.

Depends how far you're driving. Go anywhere near a school at rush hour and you've more chance of spontaneously combusting than you have of getting anywhere near the speed limits, it's hardly surprising that changing the limit has little effect.

Lowering urban and residential speed limits to 20 mph has been found to decrease child pedestrian accidents by up to 70%(Transport Research Laboratory).

What sort of statistic is "up to" 70%? Either it's 70% or it isn't, decreasing it by 0.5% is still "up to" 70%.

In Portsmouth the 20mph limit on all residential roads has reduced casualties by 22%.

Because people are going slower, or because traffic's going elsewhere? Assuming the former, that's the only sensible statement in the entire bunch.

More than half of road deaths and serious injuries occur on roads with 30 mph limits

This statistic is meaningless on its own. We're not told, for example, what percentage of roads are 30mph roads, or what the volume of traffic is like on those roads. If the 30mph roads make up 1% of the total, that's a very different situation to one where 30mph roads make up 99% of total roads.

If half occur on 30-limit roads, changing that speed limit will affect half the casualties, so it's not meaningless. It's not saying 30mph roads are more dangerous per mile or per journey.

Britain has the highest percentage of pedestrian road fatalities in Europe

Just worked out my normal 'urban' journey and it actually adds 2m55s so they're wrong there too

yes but your normal journey @20mph max won't be exactly 10mph slower than it is now will it? You are only travelling at 30 for a small portion of the time, junctions lights crossings etc stop start. The above is saying normally you won't really notice the difference. (tho your perception tells you you're going a lot slower but perception is rubbish)

I occasionally need to give way at the single mini roundabout I cross but that's it, (oh and I usually slow down a little to revel in running over a few kids, knocking off a cyclist or two etc) but otherwise maintain 30 for the entire way. So yes, it is almost a linear 50% extra time.